Hungry Like The Wolf
by Mytokyokitty
Summary: Tohru meets another member of the zodiac named Mariko. She learns that she is related to Shigure, due to her zodiac being the wolf. Tohru also learns that Akito is afraid of Mariko and soon discovers why when Mariko reveals her dark story. How will Tohru react? Read and find out. (Rated T for some language, violence, etc.)
1. Chapter 1

***Writers Notes***

 **Hello everyone! I'm back with a brand new fanfic. I have written quite a few here, but this would make my first fanfic for "Fruits Basket." This idea just came to me not too long ago and it seemed really interesting to turn into a story. I hope you like it.**

* * *

That day started out like any other day. Kyo & Yuki were at it again and it started right after breakfast. Shigure watched the two argue from his novel while Tohru was cleaning up the kitchen. She knew Kyo & Yuki had their disagreements and today seemed to be one of those days.

"It's your own damn fault you got these documents wet. How are we supposed to deliver it to Hatori now?" screamed Kyo

"You're the one who dropped it in the puddle stupid cat!" said Yuki

"Maybe I wouldn't have dropped them if you didn't shove me!"

"I just brushed past you. You hate it when I walk in front of you which caused you to get butterfingers."

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT SISSY RAT BOY! I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A KNUCKLE SANDWICH!"

"Oh I haven't heard that threat in awhile."

"LET'S GO!"

Kyo charged and took a swing, which Yuki easily dodged. Kyo continued to throw punches, but Yuki kept dodging them. Shigure closed his book. He couldn't focus on his reading for the fact that he feared his house would be destroyed again.

"Come on you two, don't destroy my house. Time to calm down," said Shigure

"SHUT UP!" screamed Kyo

The fighting continued on. Tohru then walked into the room not realizing how close she was to the fight. She was actually caught in the crossfire. When Kyo tried to throw another punch at Yuki, he noticed Tohru was now in his way. This took him by surprise. He tried to stop himself, but it was too late. His fist collided with Tohru's face.

 **POW!**

Yuki was shocked by this and poor Tohru didn't see it coming. When she hit the ground, the fighting stopped. Shigure suddenly shot up from his seat.

"Miss Honda!" shrieked Yuki

"Are you okay?" asked Shigure rushing over

Kyo just stood there in shock. It was an accident, a freak accident. He didn't see her there. She just appeared out of nowhere. He was trying to hit Yuki, not Tohru. Shigure and Yuki helped Tohru sit up. She was covering her nose with one of her hands. Blood was coming out between her fingers. Tohru had tears stream down her face. As Shigure rushed to get a hand towel for Tohru, Yuki glared up at Kyo who was still shocked.

"Now see what you did you stupid cat!" snapped Yuki

"It...it was an accident," stuttered Kyo

"Miss Honda is hurt and you probably broke her nose!"

"I...I...I didn't mean to."

"You're worthless."

Kyo didn't say anymore. He just stormed off somewhere in the house while Shigure came back with a hand towel. He had Tohru remove her hand and place the hand towel over her nose. Yuki just felt awful that this happened to her.

"Guys, I..." Tohru started to say

"Miss Honda, it's best that you don't talk right now. Just focus on stopping the bleeding," said Yuki

"He's right. We better let Hatori look at you," said Shigure

As he went towards the phone and picked it up, he could hear that someone was already on the line. Shigure listened for a bit and then put the phone back on the receiver. Yuki looked a bit confused.

"Why aren't you calling Hatori?" he asked

"Don't worry, Kyo is taking care of it right now," replied Shigure

"I'm surprised that cat is doing something useful for once in his life instead of running away."

"Now just a minute Yuki. You are also to blame for this. You got Kyo wound up with that 'butterfinger' remark."

Yuki looked a bit surprised, but realized that Shigure was right. He turned to Tohru who was still holding the hand towel against her nose.

"Miss Honda, I am truly sorry. I shouldn't have started a fight with Kyo. I will make it up to you," said Yuki

"It really was an accident," Tohru finally spoke

"Well it shouldn't have happened. I will be talking to Yuki & Kyo about this in private later," said Shigure

All Yuki could do was nod. About 20 minutes later, Hatori showed up with his medical bag. He looked at Tohru who still had her nose covered with the hand towel which was turning the color red. Hatori just sighed.

"Well Kyo wasn't kidding when he said it was serious," he said

Hatori then came closer to Tohru and just stared at her for a moment. It's like he was studying her situation.

"It might be best if I examine you in your room. Can you stand?" asked Hatori

"I think so," said Tohru

She stood up slowly. Hatori nodded and they both went up the stairs into Tohru's room. Yuki wanted to follow, but Shigure stopped him.

"It's best if Hatori doesn't have an audience," said Shigure

Yuki sat back down and just waited. Soon Kyo came down the stairs and sat beside Shigure, across from Yuki. Shigure could sense tension rising in the room. Kyo & Yuki refused to look at each other.

"Alright you two, now that we're alone, we need to talk," said Shigure

Meanwhile in Tohru's room, Hatori was cleaning Tohru's face carefully. The bleeding seemed to have stopped which was a relief for Hatori. Once he got most of the dry blood off around her nose, he began examining her. Hatori softly touched around Tohru's nose and then the bridge of her nose which made her wince.

"Does that hurt?" asked Hatori

"A little," said Tohru

"Well it doesn't seem to be broken, but I'll put on a splint anyways."

Hatori opened his medical bag and pulled out a small splint that was almost shaped like a tent. He placed it over Tohru's nose and attached it with a bandage. After that, Hatori pulled out his medical flashlight which almost looks like a pen. He was checking Tohru's eyes.

"What are you doing?" asked Tohru

"I'm just making sure there's no sign of a head trauma," said Hatori

"Head trauma?"

"Yes. From what Kyo told me over the phone, it sounded like he hit you really hard. Well from the looks of it, you seem alright."

"Thanks for coming all this way."

"It's my pleasure Tohru. Now I'd say leave that splint on for the rest of the week and if you start to bleed again, please call me immediately."

"Okay."

Hatori packed up his medical bag and made his way out of Tohru's room and down the stairs. As Hatori expected, Shigure, Kyo, & Yuki were waiting to hear about Tohru's condition.

"Well, how's Miss Honda?" asked Yuki

"She's just fine. Her nose doesn't seem to be broken, but I put a splint on anyways. All she's going to get out of this is a giant bruise," said Hatori

"Well that's a relief," said Shigure

"Yes. Now Kyo & Yuki?" questioned Hatori

"Yes?" they responded

"I know you two are still growing, maturing into men, but these petty little fights of yours has to stop. It's getting old, annoying, and you ended up hurting Tohru," said Hatori

"Well he started it!" protested Kyo while pointing at Yuki

"I don't care. It's time you both start acting your age. No more of this fighting nonsense esp. in front of ladies. You both should know better than to fight when a lady is in your presence," said Hatori

"I apologize. I didn't mean to cause trouble," said Yuki

"Yeah...I'm sorry too," said Kyo crossing his arms

"Good. Now since I'm here, you might as well give me my documents," said Hatori

Kyo & Yuki froze. They have forgotten all about it due to the situation with Tohru. Yuki got up, went to the bookcase, picked up the damaged envolope, and handed it to Hatori. He just gazed at the document and then looked at Yuki.

"What happened to these?" asked Hatori

"It was my fault. I bumped into Kyo and he dropped them by accident. They got wet in a puddle. I'm sorry," said Yuki

Kyo was pretty surprised that Yuki was taking the blame for damaging Hatori's important documents. Kyo felt that he was the one who should apologize. Hatori just nodded and gave a small smile.

"I appreciate your honesty Yuki. Don't worry, I can have the backups of these documents mailed to me," said Hatori

Hatori placed the damaged documents in his medical bag and started to head out the door. But then he suddenly stopped and faced Shigure.

"I almost forgot. Shigure, Ren asked me to give this to you," said Hatori handing Shigure a letter sized envelope.

"Oh, what's this?" he asked taking it

"Not really sure, but she was determined that you get it today. Well, I'll be on my way now."

"Thanks for everything Hatori."

Hatori left the house as Shigure opened the letter. Kyo & Yuki seemed rather curious. No one has heard from Ren in a long time. What could she possibly want from Shigure? As he read the letter, he just sighed and then smiled.

"Oh I see," said Shigure

"What is it?" asked Kyo

"Is something wrong?" asked Yuki

"Oh no. Ren just wanted to inform me that Mariko is coming next week and will be staying for awhile," said Shigure

"What? Why?" asked Kyo

"She didn't really say. I guess she just has something important to take care of. She just wants to make sure Mariko is cared for," said Shigure

"Well, I haven't seen Mariko since we were little kids. It would be nice to see her again," said Yuki

"As long as she doesn't get on my bad side," said Kyo annoyed

"Alright you two. When she does arrive, make her feel at home," said Shigure

"What about Tohru?"

"Knowing her, she'll be delighted to meet another member of the zodiac. I have a feeling they'll become fast friends."

* * *

 **End of Chapter 1. I didn't exactly expect this story to start out with Tohru getting her lights punched out (I apologize to all Tohru fans out there). So another member of the zodiac is coming to visit Shigure and the others. What is Mariko like? Wait for the next chapter to find out. Hope you're looking forward to it.**


	2. Chapter 2

***Writer's Notes***

 **Alright, here's Chapter 2. In this chapter you will be introduced to Mariko (yes, she is an OC). How will her reunion with Yuki, Kyo, & Shigure go? What will Tohru think of her? Read on and find out.**

* * *

A few days have passed & the day for Mariko to arrive finally came. When Shigure told Tohru about her, she was delighted and couldn't wait to meet Mariko. Tohru made sure that the house was clean and she even made a bed for her in her room. She was getting everything ready and making sure Mariko had space to put her stuff.

"I hope you don't mind sharing a room with her," said Shigure

"No, not at all. It would be nice to have a roommate," said Tohru

"I'm sure you two are going to get along just fine. A lot better than Kyo & Yuki."

"Hey! You better not be making fun of me!" Kyo snapped butting in

"Calm down Kyo. Come, you can help me organize my shelf," said Shigure

"No, I don't want to!"

Tohru heard the arguing go on all the way down the stairs. She couldn't help but laugh. When the room was set, Tohru decided to change into something more comfortable and look nice for Mariko. She wanted to make a good first impression. Tohru dug through her closet and dresser drawers. She finally decided on an outfit. It was mostly for summer, but the weather was perfect for it. It was jean shorts with a white long sleeved blouse. Tohru thought it was perfect. As she gazed in the mirror, one thing bothered her and that was her nose. She was no longer wearing the splint, but there was a bruise that covered her nose. She wished she could cover it up, but a bandage would just make it look worse. She sighed, but put on a smile.

"Maybe she won't notice," said Tohru

2 hours later, Mariko finally arrived. She stepped into the room being gazed by everyone. She had short brownish hazel colored hair, the eye color of purple, and a gentle smile. She wore a school uniform that revealed she attended a special private school.

"Welcome Mariko. It has been awhile," said Shigure

"Uncle Shigure!" she replied while giving him a hug

"Uncle?" said Tohru pretty surprised

"Well Tohru, Mariko & I have the similar zodiac so we formed a uncle/niece bond," said Shigure

"You must be Tohru. I've heard of you," said Mariko

"You have?" she questioned

"Well, my mother actually told me after hearing from the other Sohma's. The household talks about you from time to time."

"Good things I hope."

"Oh of course. Oh my, what happened to your nose?"

"Oh nothing, I just ran into something."

"Kyo's fist," Shigure added

"SHUT UP!" snapped Kyo

"Kyo, you hit a girl? I thought you were better than that," said Mariko

"It's not what you think. It was an accident," said Kyo

"He's right. It really was an accident," said Tohru

"Well I sure hope so," said Mariko

Mariko then greeted Yuki. He smiled at her while Kyo looked annoyed. He didn't expect his reunion with Mariko to end up this way.

"Look at you Yuki, all grown up," said Mariko

"Likewise," he replied

"And Kyo, you sure haven't changed a bit," said Mariko

"You trying to start a fight with me?" snapped Kyo

"Now why would I do that? All I'm saying is that you seem the same since I last saw you."

"Well you don't look much different yourself."

"Kyo, don't be rude," said Shigure

Kyo just sat down at the table and started munching on snacks. Shigure could tell that he was starting to get mad, but was also trying to control his temper.

"Tohru, why don't you show Mariko where she'll be staying," said Shigure

"Of course. Come on Mariko and I'll help you carry your bags," said Tohru

"Thank you," said Mariko

They both headed up the stairs with Mariko's things. Shigure sat at the table and let out a sigh.

"It's good to have a full house again," he said happily

"This is going to be a long visit," said Kyo

"Well for once, it'll be quiet in this house," said Yuki

"Shut up you damn rat!"

"At least I'm not making an ass of myself in front of Mariko stupid cat."

"Alright you two, that's enough. No more fighting," said Shigure

* * *

 **End of Chapter 2. Sorry to cut this chapter short, but I wanted the next part to be in Chapter 3. The next chapter will be longer. What's going to happen? You'll soon find out. Hope you're looking forward to it.**


	3. Chapter 3

***Writer's Notes***

 **Hi everyone, here is Chapter 3 and things are going to start getting interesting. Mariko & Tohru do get along and things seem to be going well until Akito pays an unexpected visit to Shigure's house. What's going to happen? Read on and find out.**

* * *

During the past few days at Shigure's house, Tohru & Mariko had formed a friendship. They cooked together, they played games together, and even ran errands. Shigure was happy to see them getting along. Kyo though seemed annoyed. Yuki just assumed that he was jealous of Mariko. Well Tohru and Mariko were out shopping for food that day. When they were done, they were heading back to Shigure's house.

"Wow, there were a lot of good deals today," said Mariko

"Well it is special sales week," said Tohru

"What do you think everyone would like tonight?"

"Oh, I was thinking maybe chicken curry."

"That's a great idea."

"Mariko watch out!"

Two little boys were running down the sidewalk playing a game of tag. One of them ended up bumping into Mariko. And then BOOM! Mariko transformed into her zodiac form which scared Tohru. The little boy that bumped into Mariko didn't even notice. He was too busy trying to catch up to his friend. Tohru looked around hoping no one witnessed what just happened. She was in luck. Quickly, she picked up Mariko's clothes and put them in one of the grocery bags. Mariko was now on all fours. Her ears stood up pointy, she had a shiny silver coat with a brown hazel stripe going down her back. She even had brown hazel paws, which was called sock markings.

"So, you're a wolf?" questioned Tohru

"Yes, I am the wolf which is related to the year of the dog. That's what makes me & Shigure related in a way," said Mariko

"It must be fun being a wolf. Being able to run around in open fields."

"Well maybe sometimes, but most of the time, it can be a burden. My mother worries when I transform into my zodiac form."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not really sure. I guess she fears that something will happen to me. She likes to have me close by. Not everyone likes wolves. Not even in the Sohma Main House."

"Why?"

"It's complicated. I do apologize for transforming at this time. Now you have to carry all those groceries."

"It's not your fault. It was an accident and I don't mind. These groceries aren't heavy."

"Well let me at least carry something."

Mariko stuck her head in one of the grocery bags and pulled out a loaf of bread. She decided to carry it while she was a wolf. The people that walked by them seemed impressed.

"That's some pet you got there young lady," said a man

"And smart too. I wish my dog would help me carry my groceries," said a woman

Tohru sighed as she & Mariko continued their way to Shigure's house. When they made it into the woods, Mariko suddenly transformed back. Tohru put the groceries down and turned away so Mariko could change. Mariko reached in the bag that had her clothes and changed into them quickly.

"It's alright Tohru, I'm decent now," said Mariko

"Well, let's get back to Shigure's house," she replied

Mariko nodded and grabbed one of the grocery bags. It wasn't long until they saw Shigure's house in the distance. They started to walk a bit faster so that they could get started on preparing dinner.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," said a voice

Mariko and Tohru stopped and looked around. They soon spotted Kyo sitting in a tree.

"Why not?" asked Tohru

"He's here," replied Kyo

"Who's here?"

Mariko took a moment to think about what Kyo said. Her expression suddenly changed as her wolf senses kicked in. She now understood.

"Oh, he's here," said Mariko

"Who?" asked Tohru still confused

"Tohru, it's better if you wait out here. I'm going in."

"Hey, wait a minute."

Tohru followed Mariko inside. Kyo just sighed as he watched them go in. When they came into the house, they saw Yuki backing up against the wall while Akito approached him.

"You know it upsets me when you don't respond immediately," said Akito to Yuki

Shigure suddenly looked over to see Tohru and Mariko standing there. Tohru was shocked and ended up dropping her bag of groceries. This alerted Yuki & Akito. Mariko set down her bag. Akito looked surprised when he saw Mariko approaching him.

"Well well well. Look who finally decided to come out of hiding," she sneered at Atiko

"What are you doing here?" Akito asked

"Oh, no one told you? I'm staying here with Shigure for awhile until my mother sends for me."

Mariko finally made it to Yuki. She stood in front of him like she was protecting him. Akito was backing away from Mariko. Shigure then started walking into the situation, stood by Akito's side. Tohru remained where she was, still in shock.

"Yuki, I think it's best that you take Tohru outside. Why not go for a walk?" suggested Mariko

"Oh, r...r..r...right. Okay," stuttered Yuki

He walked over to Tohru, grabbed her hand, and escorted her outside. It was now just Mariko, Akito, & Shigure. Tension was beginning to rise in the home.

"Why did you come here? I thought that wretch sent you to that private boarding school," snapped Akito

"Well it's none of your business, but my school is out for 2 weeks and my mother wanted me to come here until she calls for me. By the way, she was curious to know how you were doing. She hasn't heard anything from you in a long time."

"Why does that bitch even care?"

"She just probably wants to know if you're still alive or not."

Akito glared at Mariko and charged at her. He took a swing at her, but Mariko dodged, grabbed Akito's arm and twisted it behind his back making him yelp.

"Awe, did I say something to upset you? I'm sorry," teased Mariko

"Let go!" ordered Shigure

He got Akito out of Mariko's grasp. This did surprise Mariko, but she just stood there giving the sly grin of a wolf while Shigure was holding Akito back and also trying to protect him.

"How dare you disrespect me!" snapped Akito

"Oh please. I didn't even hurt you. I was just defending myself," scoffed Mariko

"Is that any way to treat your god? You and everyone else in the Sohma house dishonor me!"

"You're full of shit Akito! You got the better end of the stick and you know it! The main house adores & praises you to death while the rest of us, including me, get treated like garbage. You even enjoy torturing us, watching us suffer. Some god you are."

"Better than being mommy's little monster."

"You just don't understand her the way I do. You're just jealous."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" screamed Shigure

He stepped in between Mariko and Akito. He stood in front of Akito, like a dog protecting his master. Mariko knew that Shigure was loyal to Akito.

"Mariko, I want to be alone with Akito now. Please go be with the others for awhile," said Shigure

"Yes Uncle Shigure," she replied

Shigure and Akito watched Mariko head for the door.

"This isn't over Mariko. It's only a matter of time before I finally put you in your place. You will be sorry," snapped Akito

"I'm not afraid of you Akito and for the record, I'm just getting started. One more thing. I can sense that you are up to something and it involves Tohru. She is a sweet girl. If you do anything to hurt Tohru, I will tell my mother and we'll both come after you. I can promise you that I won't hold anything back. You haven't seen my monster side...yet," said Mariko

She then headed out the door. Akito did shake a bit from her words. Outside, Mariko walked into the woods where Tohru, Yuki, & Kyo met up with her.

"Are you alright Yuki?" asked Mariko

"Yes, but what happened in there?" he responded with a question

"Oh, same old thing. Akito and I got into another spat."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, but he tried to take a swing at me and I twisted his arm."

"You twisted his arm!"

"Damn, I didn't know you had it in you," said Kyo

"Knock it off Kyo. That's not something to be proud of," said Mariko

"You don't seem to be afraid of Akito," spoke up Tohru

"That's because he's afraid of me," said Mariko

"Why?"

"Because of my mother. It's a long painful story."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Well, let's just enjoy ourselves. Don't worry about Akito anymore, okay?"

They decided to continue venturing through the woods. Soon they came to Yuki's secret base. He just wanted to check on his plants to make sure they were doing well. Tohru decided to help water them. Mariko was silent and Kyo noticed.

"Hey, you alright Mariko? You've been quiet since we left," he asked

"I'm just trying to figure out a way to apologize to Uncle Shigure as well as the rest of you," she replied

Everyone now looked up at Mariko.

"Why do you have to apologize for? You didn't do anything wrong," said Kyo

"Yes I did. My fight with Akito will only bring trouble to others. I didn't mean to cause you guys more pain. I'm sorry," said Mariko

"It's alright, we forgive you," said Yuki

"Yeah, don't worry about it," said Kyo

"I'm especially sorry to you Tohru. You didn't need to witness that," said Mariko

"No, it's alright. Really," she replied

"Besides, we all know Akito started it," added Kyo

"In a way, you did protect me from Akito. Thank you Mariko," said Yuki

Mariko smiled and then just sighed. Around sunset, Akito had left and it was finally safe to back into Shigure's house. Tohru went into the kitchen with Yuki while Kyo sat down at the table. Mariko looked around and didn't see Shigure.

"Where did Uncle Shigure go?" she asked

"He's usually out here, but I guess because he had a bad day he's probably in one of his rooms," said Kyo

"I better get this over with."

Mariko went off to search for Shigure. She searched downstairs first and then upstairs. She checked every room, but she couldn't find him. This kind of frightened her. She then went outside and searched around the house.

"Looking for me," said a voice

Mariko looked over and saw Shigure sitting against the post of his back porch. He was smoking which seemed to put him in a calming mood. Shigure hardly ever smokes unless something was bothering him.

"Uncle Shigure, we need to talk," said Mariko

"Yes we do. Mariko, what was that all about?" asked Shigure

Before Shigure could speak more, Mariko got down on her knees and bowed down respectfully.

"I'm sorry Uncle Shigure. My behavior was unacceptable in your home today. I didn't mean to create such a disturbance or cause you pain. I'm also sorry if I embarrassed you in front of Akito. I ask for your forgiveness," she said

Shigure just stared at Mariko for a few minutes and then leaned down near her and placed his hand on top of her head. They both stood up.

"I do forgive you. You know I can't stay upset with you," said Shigure

"Thank you Uncle Shigure," said Mariko

"I just wish that you and Akito would get along."

"You already know that's not going to happen. We were meant to be enemies."

"If only things were different."

"I know, but I can't go against my mother. She's been good to me."

"You are loyal to her aren't you?"

"Yes, like you're loyal to Akito."

Suddenly the back door opened and Tohru popped her head out. This kind of surprised both Shigure and Mariko.

"There you both are. Come on in, dinner is ready," said Tohru

"Wonderful!" said Shigure happily

"It smells great," said Mariko

Later that night, Tohru & Mariko were getting settled for the night. Tohru climbed into her bed as Mariko got into hers.

"Hey Mariko?" asked Tohru

"Yeah?" she replied

"I hope I'm not prying, but why is Akito afraid of you?"

"I figured you'd be curious about that. Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, uh...if you want to tell me."

"Well Tohru, I'm sure you already guessed that Akito and I don't get along at all. It's always been that way, mostly for the fact that we have the same mother."

"What!"

* * *

 **End of Chapter 3. I decided to end it here with kind of a cliffhanger, but the next chapter will be revealing Mariko's back story. I hope you look forward to it. The next chapter will be posted soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

***Writer's Notes***

 **Alright, here's the next chapter. Buckle up for this one. Mariko's back story is finally going to be revealed. What will Tohru think? Read on and find out. Better get those tissues ready too.**

* * *

By the way, I just wanted to detail this to prevent any confusion:

 **Sohma House** = Entire Estate

 **Sohma Main House** = The biggest home in the estate where **ONLY** elders, head of house, maids, etc. live in.

* * *

Tohru gave Mariko a surprised look.

"You and Akito are related?" she asked

"Well, not exactly," replied Mariko

"What do you mean? I'm a little confused."

"My mother, Ren, didn't give birth to me. She took me in when she found me abandoned, all alone."

Tohru now sat up in bed turning her attention to Mariko. Mariko sat up in bed as well.

"Tohru, did you know that Akito was rejected before he was even born?" she asked

"What!" she shrieked in response

"No one in the Sohma Main House will ever understand why Ren did what she did, but I think I understand."

"You do?"

"At one time, Ren was happy about having Akito. The thought of being a mother, feeling that baby grow inside her, a child to love with all her heart. Ren was delighted & so was her husband Akira. But sadly, the happy thought Ren had of motherhood was destroyed. Everyone in the Sohma Main House was acting different around Ren. They were playing nice. Even the cursed members of the zodiac crowded her. She didn't like it. She soon found out that the baby she carried was going to be the next head of the Sohma Main House, even the new god to the cursed members of the zodiac. At that point, Ren no longer felt like she was going to be a mother. Instead she felt more like a vassal, one that would immediately be disposed of the minute Akito was brought into the world. The happiness she had was shattered. Being told that your baby is special, everyone acting nice, and the thought of not being able to love that baby the way you want to, only for it to be taken away to be loved by everyone else, including Akira, must have really torn her. She had everything she could ever want and it was being taken away from her. I can't imagine what that's like."

"That must have been terrible for her."

"It was. All of that being thrown at her at once upset her. She also couldn't stand the idea of Akira loving Akito more than her. She soon became angry and started hating Akito, despising the baby that grew inside her. At one point, she threatened to abort Akito, but Akira talked her out of it. Those months of joy Ren was supposed to experience turned into months of misery. When Akito was finally born, Ren wanted nothing to do with him. She didn't want to hold him or even look at him. Akira tried to help Ren accept Akito, but it didn't work. Because everyone was loving and adoring Akito, Ren was starting to forget that he was even there. Even though Akira still loved Ren, she felt all alone."

"Is...is that why Akito is so angry?"

"Ren's neglect and hatred towards Akito was just the beginning of his destruction. I think what triggered it was when I came into the picture."

* * *

 ***Flashback***

* * *

Years have passed and Akito grew, but continued to be neglected & hated by Ren. He never understood why his mother hated him so much, but he was loved by everyone else, including his father Akira.

"Why does mommy hate me?" asked Akito

"I don't know how to explain it Akito. Your mother just doesn't see things the way we do, but don't worry, you are loved by me and everyone else. You'll never feel alone," said Akira

He gave Akito a hug as Ren walked in. When she saw this, she turned around and walked away. That upset her. The more Akira loved Akito, the more Ren hated Akito. One night, Ren couldn't take it anymore and decided to leave The Sohma House for good. She thought no one would even notice or care. As she passed by the Sohma Gardens, she heard a sound. It sounded like the cry of a baby. Strange? What would a baby be doing outside on a cool night esp. at this hour? Ren tried to press on, but the crying wouldn't stop. She decided to find where the crying came from. Ren entered the Sohma Gardens following the sound of the cry. It didn't take long for her to find the baby. It was laying in the dirt, close to some rose bushes. The baby was only wrapped in a thin blanket. Ren looked around, but there was nobody else. Not another soul was outside that night except her.

Knowing Ren, she would have just turned around and walked away, but for some reason she didn't. Instead, she knelt down and just watched this baby cry for a few moments. Her gaze focused on this infant's face. The cries it made was sad. Ren could see that this baby was abandoned, all alone. Just waiting for someone to come by to pick it up and love it. Ren started to feel a connection with this baby. She imagined herself in that baby's place. Trying to reach out while crying, just to be loved, but no one would come. Tears started to form in her eyes which surprised her. She wiped them away & then slowly reached for the infant. As Ren held that baby in her arms, a new feeling came over her. It was one she never felt before. The baby's crying began to cease.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay," Ren said to the baby

She then stood up and started heading back. When she entered the Main House, the maids were surprised to see her. They were even more surprised when they saw Ren with a baby in her arms. One of the maids rushed upstairs while the others confronted her.

"That goodness you're back. We looked everywhere for you," said a maid

"Akira didn't know where you were. He was worried sick about you," said another

"I was only gone for a few hours," said Ren annoyed

Suddenly Akira came down the stairs. The maid that rushed up the stairs a minute ago was right behind him. Akira hugged Ren. She looked at his face and she could see that he really was worried. His expression soon changed to relief.

"You had me scared. Where were you?" asked Akira

"I was just letting off steam. I went for a walk," said Ren

Akira then noticed the baby in her arms.

"Who's this?" he asked

"I don't know. I found this baby all alone in the Sohma Gardens when I was out walking," said Ren

"You mean it was abandoned?"

Ren nodded. Akira then had one of the maids send for a doctor. News spread around the Sohma Main House that Ren had returned and found an abandoned baby. After the baby was examined, the doctor confirmed that the baby was a healthy girl and not even two days old. Ren then took the baby back in her arms.

"Are you able to find out who the parents are?" asked Akira

"It may take a bit of time, but I should be able to find the answers through medical records," said the doctor

"Why would anyone abandon a baby like that?"

"I figured that would be obvious to you. This baby girl is cursed with the zodiac."

"What?"

"I can only guess that when she was born, both of her parents were terrified of her. They rejected her completely. Took about a day to figure out what to do with her. I'm sure by now, they're long gone. Left the Sohma House to start a new life somewhere else."

"It's probably for the best that we find this child new parents."

"I want to raise her," spoke up Ren

Akira and the doctor were both surprised by Ren's words.

"What did you say?" asked Akira

"I said I want to raise her," Ren repeated

"Why?"

"There's something about this baby...I just can't explain it. She needs me."

"What about Akito?"

"What about him?"

"Akito needed you, yet you abandoned him."

"That was completely different!"

"How? Explain to me how it's different."

"Akito was born to be head of the Sohma Main House & be a god to the cursed members of the zodiac. I was only a vassal to Akito, never a mother."

The room became silent. What Ren said had left him speechless for about a minute or two.

"Why is this child so important to you Ren?" Akira finally asked

"This is the child I've been longing for. I was meant to find her, raise her, and finally become a mother," she replied

Akira sighed and rubbed his head. He then decided to let Ren raise this abandoned baby. It wasn't because of what she said, but for the fact that Ren expressed happiness. Akira hasn't seen Ren happy in a long time. He thought maybe this was something she needed and he hoped that when she's raising this baby, she'll learn to love Akito. So that night, Ren named the baby **Mariko** which means _**true village child**_. When Akito found out that Ren took in a baby that was abandoned, he didn't believe it until he saw for himself. Akito just watched from the doorway. He saw Ren cradling Mariko, giving her kisses, and even humming some kind of lullaby. Akito felt a rage grow inside him. He became jealous of Mariko and started to hate her  & Ren.

Mariko grew and was loved only by Ren. Akira didn't want anything to do with her as well as the rest of the Sohmas. Akito just completely ignored Mariko. Ren had taught many things to Mariko esp. to never associate with Akito.

"How come momma?" asked little Mariko

"Akito hates us nor does he need us. He has hurt me before, took something from me that I can never get back. I don't want him to hurt you so no matter what happens, don't ever listen to him understand?" said Ren

"Yes momma."

"That's my good girl."

Ren kissed the top of her head and hugged her. Then that tragic day came. Akira, the man Ren loved, had passed away. Akito was with him when he passed. When Ren found out, Mariko was left in Shigure's care. Mariko had never seen her mother so sad before. She didn't understand.

"Uncle Shigure, why is momma sad?" asked little Mariko

"A lot of people are sad little one. Akira left this world today," he replied

"Is he coming back?"

"No, he's not."

"How come?"

"It was his time. Don't worry little one, he went somewhere happy and peaceful."

"I just wish momma wasn't sad."

"She'll be happy again, in time."

Later that night, Shigure brought Mariko home. Ren was sitting in the corner of the bedroom, hunched over. Mariko knew she was sad. Shigure stuck around for a little while just to make sure Ren wouldn't do anything reckless. He found out that Ren had lost it when she arrived only to see that Akira was already gone and Akito was next to his lifeless body. Ren broke some things around her and even tried to go after Akito, but the others of the Main House protected him. She was restrained and eventually locked out of the room. Ren cried, pounded on the door. She even cursed at Akito. Ren was ignored, nobody came to comfort her. Shigure snapped out of his thoughts when Mariko let go of his hand and walked over to Ren. Shigure wanted to stop her, but something told him to just hold back a minute. If Ren did get reckless with Mariko, he would step in and protect her. When Mariko made her way over to Ren, she placed her hands on her arms.

"Don't cry momma. You still have me. I'll never leave you," she said

Ren lifted her head and looked at Mariko. Shigure watched, expecting Ren to reveal that side of her Mariko had never seen. Instead, Ren took Mariko in her arms and continued to sob. This really surprised Shigure. He then left their home, knowing that it was safe. Now that Akira was gone, Akito was now in charge. The first thing he did was banish Ren from the Main House and then banished Mariko from ever attending the zodiac banquet. Ren refused to listen, but the other Sohma's of the Main House made it so. They were both kicked out, forced to live in another part of the Sohma House, never again to set foot in the Main House. The cursed members of the zodiac helped Ren & Mariko find a place to live. It was small, but they could make it work. After about a month, things were starting to calm down, but Akito's rage towards others got worse. That only made Ren more protective of Mariko.

It wasn't long until Mariko witnessed Ren's dark side. The day started out like any other and this was the day that Mariko got to play with the other kids. Of course most of the Sohma children despised Mariko so the only friends she had were the children that were cursed with the zodiac (Yuki, Kyo, Kagura, & Haru). They were all playing, having a good time. Their parents weren't too far away. The playing stopped when Akito appeared. He pushed Yuki down and then approached Mariko. She was holding a toy ball. Akito snatched it from her and threw it at Kagura, making her fall.

"You got some nerve," said Akito

"What did I do?" asked Mariko

Akito slapped her across the face and then pushed her down making her yelp. He then pressed his foot into her chest, hoping it would hurt her. The others only watched in horror.

"You think you can just take my place like that? If it wasn't for my father, I would have exiled you," said Akito

"Stop it, it hurts," said Mariko

"You bet it does!"

Suddenly, Akito went flying. Mariko looked over and saw her mother. This time, she was angry. Mariko sat up as Ren went over to Akito, pinned him down, and started to beat the crap out of him. Yuki, Kyo, and the other children began to scream & cry. Mariko just watched fearfully. She had never seen Ren attack anyone before.

"HOW DARE YOU HURT MY BABY! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Ren screamed while beating the crap out of Akito

It didn't take long for the parents to show up. They quickly grabbed their children and made a run for it. Hatori, Ayame, & Shigure also showed up. Ayame picked up Mariko and took her somewhere safe while Hatori & Shigure separated Ren from Akito. Hatori restrained Ren while Shigure held Akito in his arms. He was a bloody mess and now too scared to say anything. He trembled from the unexpected beating of his life.

"First you killed my husband and now you tried to kill Mariko too? I HATE YOU! I WISH I GOT RID OF YOU WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE!," screamed Ren

"Shigure, get Akito out of here!" ordered Hatori

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! DO YOU HEAR ME!" Ren continued to scream as Shigure carried Akito somewhere safe

"You need to calm down Ren," said Hatori

"STAY OUT OF THIS AND LET GO OF ME!" yelled Ren trying to break free

It didn't take long for the other Sohmas to appear. Some helped Hatori continue to restrain Ren. She was now pinned to the ground and wouldn't stop screaming. She continued to struggle. A doctor had shown up and gave Ren an injection that sedated her. It was now quiet. Ren was then taken somewhere where she wouldn't cause anymore trouble. A week passed and Mariko was still apart from Ren. She was staying with Shigure. Mariko missed her mother terribly. This created a lot of stress for her which caused her to transform into her zodiac form. The poor wolf pup laid on the pillow cushion depressed. Mariko even turned away her meals.

"Come on little one, you have to eat something," said Shigure

Mariko just whined. She couldn't eat. All she wanted was Ren. Shigure was becoming concerned. He then called for a doctor. Within minutes, the doctor showed up and surprisingly Hatori was with him.

"Oh Hatori, I didn't expect to see you," said Shigure

"You forgot already? I'm studying in the medical field. Coming along is one of my training exercises," he replied

As the doctor examined Mariko, he just sighed and gave her a stroke on the head. He then escorted Shigure into another room.

"Hatori, try to get her to eat while I talk to Shigure," said the doctor

"Sure," he replied

The doctor then shut the door. Shigure could tell that what he was going to say wasn't good.

"How long has she been this way?" asked the doctor

"About two days. Even though she was been with me for about a week, she became depressed when Ren didn't come back for her. She just stopped eating, playing, and remained in her wolf form," Shigure replied

"Well she's becoming dehydrated and not eating is going to make things worse."

"Ren won't like this. By the way, how is she?"

"I'm not really sure. I haven't heard anything since they put her in some kind of holding at the Main House. All I know is that the elders are still trying to figure out what to do with her."

"Well I just hope that when this is all over, Mariko will be reunited with Ren."

"I don't understand why Mariko could love such an eccentric, crazy woman."

"It's because Ren never raised a hand toward her like she did to Akito & others. Mariko is special to Ren."

"Let's hope for Mariko's sake that she will be brought back with Ren."

A few days later, there was a knock at Shigure's door, he opened it and there stood Ren.

"Oh Ren!" said Shigure surprised

"I'm...I'm finally back. I can take Mariko home now. How is she?" she asked

"Well she's been really missing you. I know she's going to be happy to see you. Come in."

Ren entered Shigure's home and followed him into one of the rooms. Mariko was laying down on one of the cushions sound asleep. She was still in her zodiac form. Shigure had Ren wait a few feet away. He went over to Mariko and woke her up gently. She opened her eyes and then looked at Shigure.

"Mariko, there's someone here to see you," said Shigure

"I missed you so much Mariko," said Ren

Mariko's ears perked up. She turned around to see Ren standing there. Mariko sprung up and jumped into Ren's arms, kissing her and wagging her tail. Shigure thought it was cute, like a puppy greeting his master after returning home. Mariko then started to whine happily. Suddenly she transformed back into a human. Shigure grabbed a blanket and placed it over Mariko. She was crying and sniffling.

"No one told me what happened to you. I thought you were gone...like Akria," Mariko cried

"I'm sorry. You'll never be left alone like that again. I promise," said Ren

Ren continued to hug Mariko for a few moments longer. She then had her change into her clothes.

"Are you ready to go home?" asked Ren

"Yeah," replied Mariko

"Shigure, thanks for taking care of her," said Ren

"It's no trouble," he replied

Shigure then knelt down towards Mariko

"You can come over anytime you want okay? We can play games and do all sorts of fun stuff," he said to her

"Okay Uncle Shigure," she replied with a smile

Ren & Mariko were out the door and on their way home. Along the way, Mariko could sense that something was wrong. She knew that Ren was happy to be with her again, but it's like she was hiding something. When they got home, Ren locked the door and covered all the windows.

"Mariko, we have to talk," said Ren

"Okay," she replied

"I'm sorry that you got hurt that day and I'm also sorry that you saw the other part of me. I was just so angry at Akito for hurting you like that. I promise that he won't hurt you again."

"What did I do to make him not like me?"

"You did nothing wrong. Now if you have any fear of Akito, I want you to let go of it."

"How?"

"I will teach you how to defend yourself against Akito. I can't protect you like I did that day, but I'll make sure you never fear him again. You experienced what he did to you and saw what he did to the other zodiac children. If he hates you, hate him back. If he gives you an order, never do it. I forbid it. Don't trust him at all. Don't trust anybody. The only ones you can trust in the Sohma House is me and the others that are cursed with the zodiac animal. Do you understand?"

"Yes momma."

"Good. Tomorrow your new lessons will begin. Things are going to be different from now on."

* * *

 ***End of Flashback***

* * *

"And that is my story," said Mariko

Tohru was just speechless. She just didn't know what to say. She began to tear up.

"I'm not sure what went through my mother's head the night she found me. She could have just left me there to die, but instead she saved my life. For that, I am loyal to her. She loved me and showed me a way of life that my real parents never would have done," said Mariko

"Did...did you ever find out who your real parents were?" asked Tohru

"The only ones that know of my real parents are Hatori, Shigure, & Akito. Akito made it clear to those that knew to never tell me. I guess to Akito, that's one of my punishments. The only mother I have is Ren."

"I...I...I feel sorry for you...and Akito...I can't imagine living a life like that."

Tohru then began to break down. Mariko got up and hugged her.

"Tohru, please don't think badly of my mother. I know she's far from perfect and what she did to Akito was wrong. Most of the Sohmas think she's eccentric, mentally ill. She's only human, just wanted to be loved and noticed. The first person to give that to her was Akira and then me. In Ren's world, I'm the only one she has now."

"All of you must feel lonely. When my mother died, I felt alone. I did have my grandpa and my friends, but this empty feeling in my heart made me feel lonely. During the hardest parts of my life, there were times where I wanted to be noticed."

"Our situations sound different Tohru, but I understand what you mean. Everyone should be noticed. Never neglected, ignored, or abused. I think what's worse about this is that you're hearing it come from me. I have to be one of the worst people in the world. I should be making peace with Akito, but instead I create wars, start fights. In the end, someone else gets hurt. I blame myself for that."

"Mariko. It's never too late to start over."

"I wish it was that simple Tohru, but I can't. I now have to live with the consequences."

"It's not fair you have to live your life this way."

"Life will never be fair for anyone, besides, this is how I was raised. I won't blame you if you decide to stop being friends with me."

"Mariko, I still want to be friends and I don't think you're a horrible person at all."

Mariko then gave Tohru a hug. She hugged her back.

"Thank you Tohru," said Mariko

"We'll be friends for life," she replied

A few minutes later, Mariko got back into her bed. She & Tohru were both now ready for bed. The lights went out.

"Goodnight Tohru. Tomorrow, we'll have some fun," said Mariko

"That sounds great," she replied tiredly

Soon, they were both sound asleep. Nothing but the sound of the ticking clock and the slight breeze blowing outside. Shigure's house was at peace again.

 **End of Chapter 4. Now before pressing on, I want to make something clear about Ren. I know that Ren (only appearing in the manga) is the biggest bitch in the world and everyone hates her. Her reason for rejecting and abusing Akito didn't make much sense to me. So for this story, I wanted to portray her a little differently and give a better reason to why she rejected Akito. I also know that she only loved Akira and wouldn't love anyone else, not even another child (but she did in this story). Another thing, I know that Akito is a girl, but I'm just having her be called a him since no one really knows her secret except Shigure. I did want Mariko to reveal that to Tohru, but I think that would have made things confusing. Anyways, I'll be posting the next chapter soon. Hope you're enjoying the story so far.**


	5. Chapter 5

***Writers Notes***

 **Hi guys. It's been awhile since I've last updated. So sorry I didn't get to this sooner, but a lot has been going on outside my art world. Here's the last chapter and Tohru will get to meet Ren. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

To prevent any confusion:

Rice ball = Tohru

Wolf = Mariko

* * *

The next morning, Tohru and Mariko made breakfast for everyone. Afterwards, they cleaned up and headed outside. Kyo watched, from his spot on the roof, the wolf and the rice ball disappear in the distance. He just groaned in annoyance and laid back, relaxing as usual. Why would he care if they go off and do fun stuff? Mariko led the way through a part of the forest that Tohru hasn't been to before.

"Where are we going?" asked Tohru

"You'll soon see," replied Mariko

Soon, they came out of the woods and came to a big open field. It was filled with many different flowers and even had some butterflies fluttering around.

"Wow, I don't remember seeing this field," said Tohru

"This is one of my favorite spots I like to come to," said Mariko

"It's so beautiful."

"Come on, let's go pick some flowers."

Tohru and Mariko headed into the field and began picking some flowers. Mariko made a flower crown while Tohru created a bouquet. A butterfly landed on the rice ball's picked flowers. She smiled and watched it for awhile. It flapped its wings a few times and then took off again. Tohru smiled as she watched it fly toward the clouds in the sky. She then turned her attention to Mariko who was standing still. Tohru started walking over to her.

"This place is wonderful!" the rice ball said with delight

"Tohru, stay still for a minute," replied the wolf

"What's the matter?"

"Just stay right by me okay."

Tohru didn't understand until she saw other wolves appearing. She became frightened at first, but then remembered that wolves would appear to Mariko on their own or if Mariko called them. As they got closer, they circled around Mariko and Tohru. They seemed happy because their tails were wagging. A few approached Mariko and started nuzzling her. She smiled at them and stroked their heads. One approached Tohru, but she remained still.

"Don't be afraid, they know you're a friend," said Mariko

The rice ball reached out and the wolf licked her hand. Tohru smiled and stroked its head.

"This is amazing Mariko. I haven't seen a wild wolf up close before," she said.

"Wolves are amazing," she replied

The wolves began to play and run around. Mariko joined in and ran around with the wolves. Tohru watched for a few moments. She found it amazing that these wild animals would roam with Mariko.

"Come on Tohru!" called out Mariko

Tohru then joined in on the fun. Soon, the wolves returned where they came from. Mariko waved goodbye.

"Well that was fun," said Tohru

"It was," replied Mariko

Around sunset, the wolf & the rice ball headed back to Shigure's house. When they reached the house, they spotted Shigure out front. He saw them coming and smiled.

"Ah, welcome back you two. Mariko, you have a visitor," said Shigure

"I do?" she questioned

"Go on inside, I'll be right there."

Mariko headed in and Tohru followed her. When they got into the dining area, Mariko & Tohru stopped and saw a woman with long dark hair sitting at the table. She stood up when Mariko headed over. It took Tohru a few moments to realize that the woman was Ren, Markio's mother. Mariko and Ren hugged each other.

"It's good to see you mom. I missed you," said Mariko

"Did you have a good time?" asked Ren

"Of course."

"Well why don't you go gather your things. We'll be leaving soon."

Mariko headed upstairs. Ren then turned her attention towards Tohru, she smiled. The rice ball remained in the same place.

"You must be Tohru," said Ren

"Oh, yes I am. It's nice to meet you," she replied

"Likewise. Come sit down, let's talk."

"Okay."

Tohru made her way to the table and sat down next to Ren.

"I've heard about you from the Sohma House," said Ren

"Good things I hope," said Tohru

"Oh of course. Tohru, how much do you know about Akito? Did you ever meet him?"

"I have seen him a few times."

"Well, my advice is to be careful when you're around him or near him. He's not what you think he is."

"What do you mean?"

"Well since Mariko isn't in the room, I'll show you."

Ren pulled down her kimono a bit revealing her back towards Tohru. The rice ball gasped and covered her mouth. There were scars all over Ren's back. Ren then pulled her kimono back up.

"It looks bad doesn't it?" asked Ren

"Did...did Akito do that?" asked Tohru

"Yes. I have tried to protect Mariko once from Akito. In the end, Mariko was separated from me and I was punished in the Main House. I can never forget that, no matter how hard I try."

"Does Mariko know about this?"

"No and it's best that she doesn't know. Why cause her more pain? Tohru, promise me you won't tell her."

Tohru nodded and Ren gave her a hug.

"You're a good girl and I hope that Akito never hurts you," said Ren

Suddenly, Mariko came down the stairs with her bags. She set them down by the door and joined Ren & Tohru at the table. They talked for awhile, told funny stories. Soon Yuki, Kyo, & Shigure came inside. Kyo went into the kitchen to grab a snack while Yuki & Shigure joined the others at the table. An hour went by and it was time for Mariko & Ren to leave. Mariko hugged Tohru.

"I hope we get to hang out again. This visit has been fun!" she said

"I'll make sure I write to you," said Tohru

"Please do."

"Until we meet again," said Yuki

"Take care of yourself. Oh, where's Kyo?" asked Mariko

"Probably the roof. Stupid cat should just live up there."

"Well tell him goodbye for me."

"Of course."

Mariko also hugged Yuki & Shigure goodbye.

"Thanks for everything Shigure," said Ren

"It's no problem. Come back anytime," he said

Mariko & Ren then headed off. Tohru & Yuki waved goodbye until they disappeared in the distance. Everyone then went inside. Mariko & Ren were happily making their way toward their home.

"I'm glad you had a wonderful visit with Shigure and the others," said Ren

"It was the best," replied Mariko

"So I heard that Akito dropped by during your visit. How is he by the way?"

"The same."

"Well that's too bad. I hope he didn't give you any trouble."

"No, not at all."

"Good."

As they continued to walk, Mariko could still sense the anger Ren had against Akito. Mariko did hope that one day she could make peace with Akito. As much as she wanted to say it to her mother, Ren would never allow it. At least Ren & Mariko had each other and no one was going to break that apart, not even Akito.

THE END

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed the story. It was hard for me to think of a proper ending, but I thought the best way was Ren & Mariko walking home. I also apologize is this chapter seemed fast paced. Well I'll have more fanfics posted soon. Keep an eye out for them. **


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